Display-rack.



No. 721,424. ,PATENTED. FEB. 24, 1903..

a J. D. CLARK.

DISPLAY RACK. V v APPLICATION FILED MA! 10. 1902. v

no MODEL. 2 sums-sum 1.

E I I; I k

.. 3H son/J Clark? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEFFERSON DAVIS CLARK, SORANTON, MISSISSIPPI.

DISPLAY-RACK.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 721,424, dated February24, 1903.

Application filed May 10, 1902.

To all whom it may concern.-

.Be it known that I, JEFFERSON DAVIS CLARK, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Scranton, in the county of J ackson and State ofMississippi, have invented a new and useful Display-Rack, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates generally to displayracks, and more particularlyto a device adapted for displaying suspenders and similar articles.

Heretofore great difficulty has been encountered in properly displayingsuspenders, and suspending devices for this class of goods have beenfound defective, for the reason that considerable time and labor areexpended in properly arranging, removing, and rearranging suspendersbefore and after each an every purchase. I

The object of my invention is to provide an exceedingly simple andcompact device capable of supporting a large number of suspenders,an vpair of which can be quickly and easily removed without disturbing theothers.

Another object of the invention is to pro- Vide a simple and efficientdevice for holding suspenders and similar articles and simultaneouslydisplaying a price card or ticket opposite each particular set or seriesof articles. Y

With these objects in view the invention consists in the specialconstruction of the several parts and the novel mannerof combining andarranging same, all of which will be fully described hereinafter andpointed out fication, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing adisplay-rack constructed in accordance with my invention, two sets ofsuspenders being arranged thereon. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view. Fig.3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the upper portion of thedevice. Fig. 4. is a detail perspective view of one of the suspendingdevices, the parts being closedand in their normal position. Fig. 5 is asimilar view showing the parts open for filling or to permit the removalof the suspenders. Fig. 6 is a sectional View of the Serial No. 106,835-(ll'o model.)

ticket holder. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of said holder, taken fromthe inner side. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the guide-'rod.

In carrying out my invention I employ a tubular standard A, whichsupports a revolving hub B at its upper end, said hub being centered bymeansof a smaller tube B, which exactly fits inside the standard A andwhich passes therethrough down into and is fastened into the upper endof the standard A. Radiating from the hub B are a series of spokes C,which support at their outer ends the rim or band D, the said rim orband being adapted to support the number of sus penders the rack isintended to display. Supporting-tubes E are attached to the rim or bandDand project outwardly therefrom, said tubes being preferably arranged inpairs, each pair being intended to receive the rear buttonhole-loops ofthe suspenders.-

. Directly above the supporting-tubes E ar the guide-tubes E. Passingthrough the said guide-tubes are the rods F, the rear'ends of said rodsbeing connected by means of a yoke, the forward ends of said rods beingbent downwardly and then rearwardly, as shown at F, therearwardly-projecting end F being pointed, as shown at E and adapted toenter the forward end of the supporting-tube E, and it will be notedthat the said forward end is beveled, as shown at E, by means of whichthe suspenders slide more readily back upon these tubes after beingpulled out on the forward Suspender-supporting rods when selling fromthe rack. ,Were it not for these beveled and tapered ends, thesuspenders would be likely to hang or catch on the top edgesof the tubesand the rack fail to close automatically.

A guide-rod H is attached to the rim or band D and projects inwardly,said guide-rod passing centrally through the yoke G, and sur-- roundingsaid guide-rods, between the rim or sary to replace a damaged orimpaired spring. The downwardly-bent portions of the rods F areconnected by means of a plate K, the edges K being turned around therods, as most clearly shown in Figs. 4:, 5, and 6. The lower edge of theplate K is turned upwardly, as shown at K K indicating guide-tonguesprojecting outwardly from the plate and adapted to receive theprice-ticket K between them, said ticket resting upon the upturnedportion K thus forming an ingenious priceticket holder into which aprice-ticket may be slipped with the greatest facility and be socurelyand conspicuously supported in the front of the suspending device forthe purpose of indicating the price of that particular set ofsuspenders. By means of this device a price-ticket is so securely heldthat it cannot be blown down or out by the wind or be come curled orbent over by damp weather, as is the case with other display-racks orexhibitors where the price-ticket is simply held by one corner or edge.It will thus be seen that this plate serves three purposes-namely, as aholder for a price card or ticket, as a connection between the slidingrods, preventing them from twisting or wabbling, and also as a supportfor the forward ends of the trigger. \Vhen itis desired to remove anyparticular pair of suspenders from the rack, it is only necessary tograsp the pair wanted and those in front of it, raise the hand slightlyand pull outwardly on them until the ends of the rods F are withdrawnfrom the supporting-tubes E far enough for the trigger L to operateautomatically,and hold the said rods in such open position. Then bysimply exerting a slight outward and downward pull upon the pair ofsuspenders desired they can be quickly and easily removed, theSuspender-ends slipping through the opening produced between the ends ofthe tubes and rods. Immediately that this is done release the trigger bya slight upward pressure of the thumb of the other hand, when the rackwill instantly and automatically close and return the unsold suspendersremaining on the rods to their proper places on the .tubes ready for thenext customer.

As before stated, the parts are automatically locked by means of atrigger L, which is preferably formed of a single piece of wireconnected at its ends, as shown at L, to the upper edge of the plate Kand passing through the openings L produced in the rim or band D,adjacent to its lower end, and the said trigger is formed with bends L,which are adapted to engage the openings L thereby holding the racklocked in an open position. The central loop portion L is for thepurpose of releasing the trigger by a pressure of the thumb, thusexerting a slight upward movement of the trigger, the said movementserving to disengage the bends or hooked portions L from the openings LA string-tag may also be suspended from this looped end on which to markthe cost and selling-price in private mark of the articles displayed.The standard is provided with a suitable base, by means of which it canbe attached to the counter or other suitable object.

It will thus be seen that I provide an exceedingly simple and efficientdisplay-rack particularly adapted for supporting suspenders; but it willof course be understood that other articles may be also supported anddis played.

In order to fill the rack, the rods are drawn outwardly by pulling uponthe front plate until the rods are separated from or drawn out of thesupporting-tubes, and when the rods have been drawn forwardly to theirfull limit the trigger will automatically drop, holding the rack open.The suspenders are then placed upon the hollow tubes, and when the rackis full the trigger is released by a slight upward pressure and the rackwill close automatically. After the rack has been filled the suspenderscan be easily examined, being held in a most advantageous position forsuch purpose, and inasmuch as they are looked upon the tubes it will beimpossible to lose or dislocate any pair of suspenders when pulling uponthem to test the rubber in them. The price card or ticket is alsoarranged at the front of each rack, thereby indicating the price of thesuspenders held thereon.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A display-rack comprising in combination a revolving rim or bandsuitably supported, hollow tubes projecting from said band,spring-actuated rods adapted to enter said tubes, and a plate connectingsaid rods in pairs and adapted to hold a price-card.

2. A device of the kind described, comprising in combination a revolvingrim or band having the supporting-tubes attached thereto, the rodspassing through the rim or band and bent to enter the supporting-tubes,said rods being connected at their rear ends, a spring operating uponsaid rear connection,

, a card or ticket holder connecting the rods at their forward ends, anda trigger attached to the card or ticket holder and adapted toantomatically engage the rim or band, substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. The combination with the revolving rim or band suitably supported, ofthe supportingtubes projecting therefrom, theguidetubes attached also tothe rim or band, the rods passing through the said guide-tubes and bentat their forward ends to enter the supporting-tubes, the plateconnecting the said rods at their forward ends, the guide-rod andspring, and the trigger connected to the plate and adapted to engage therim or band, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination with a. standard, of a revolving hub arranged at theupper end thereof, the radiating spokes, the rim or band supported bysaid spokes, the supporting-tubes, the spring-actuated frame,tl1e endsing-tubes and hold articles suspended thereon, and means forautomatically holding the rods out of engagement with the tubes whenwithdrawn a predetermined distance, substantially as shown anddescribed.

JEFFERSON DAVIS CLARK. I

Witnesses:

' J ULES JOHN TAMASICH, ORA MANDLE DAVIS.

